Energized (23 page)

Before Hannah could move, Shelley leapt to her feet, her hand extended. “Hi, Hannah. You might not remember me, but I'm your sister—”

“Shelley.” Hannah closed the distance and took the proffered hand. It was awkward shaking hands with the first blood relative she'd met in almost twenty years, but Hannah sensed the other woman's unease. “I saw you last night at Jules's wedding. I wanted to come introduce myself then, but well, that didn't happen.”

Then in an instant, the awkward handshake became a psychic link forged by the wedding rings on Shelley's hands.

The room faded to smoky gray.

Shelley stood behind Jules, staring into a full-length mirror.

Jules's wedding gown sparkled in the reflection. Shelley wrapped her arms around Jules's waist and rested her chin on her sister's shoulder. “You're so beautiful.”

“You only say that because I look like you,” Jules teased, then ruined the joke by sniffling.

“Momma would have loved to have been here.” Shelley stared in amazement at the reflection staring back at her. She was with Jules again. She had a family of her own now thanks to Dev and Beau. And thanks to Dev she had Jules back in her life.

“I just wish they could have found Hannah,” Jules said, her wide emerald eyes misted with unshed tears. “Listen to me getting all weepy wishing for things. It's my wedding day. I should be thrilled. Overjoyed. Not wishing for more.”

Shelley debated telling Jules about what Beau's newfound dog had shown her in a telepathic link earlier that day. That Hannah was somewhere in Tidewater. She opened her mouth but Jules cut her off.

“No, don't say it. I'm happy. Really happy. You're here.
Seth is waiting to marry me in a few minutes. And they found you, they'll find Hannah too. Just not today.”

The connection snapped.

Hannah watched the scene in the bridal room fade away and the office come back to full color. The men and Shelley were all staring at her. And she still had her hand hanging in the air.

She dropped her arm and tried to center herself. The people around her spoke but their words were garbled like words spoken underwater. Hannah closed her eyes and whispered to herself, “I'm Hannah Halloran. Hannah. Halloran.”

It took another moment for her to realize the chatter around her had stopped. She could hear bacon sizzling on the grill, smell the frying meat, waffles, and cinnamon in the air. Finally, she opened her eyes to find herself alone in the office with Shelley.

“You back with me?” Shelley asked, offering Hannah the chair.

Hannah gestured for her to take the seat. “I'm fine standing. Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you.”

“You didn't. But I figured you'd like some privacy. I think we freak out Ian and Ryan,” Shelley said with a grin.

“Oh, not as much as you'd believe. Did you know that many of the women in their family have some sort of psychic gift?” Hannah nodded at her sister's stunned expression. Her. Sister. It hardly seemed real. “Yeah, Karma sees auras and she told me about an aunt they have who reads fortunes in bowls of vodka. But I'm not sure I believe that story.”

Shelley laughed, her blue eyes shining.

A lump formed in Hannah's throat, making speaking and laughing suddenly difficult. “You both really wanted to find me? I thought when I came in that you didn't. You seemed so nervous. Then that handshake.”

Shelley's eyes brimmed with tears but she swatted the air. “God, don't pay attention to me. I'm the serious one in the family. I tend to retreat to formal mode when I'm nervous.”

“No,” Hannah said, moving closer to her. She sat on the desk next to Shelley's chair. “You don't understand. When you
shook my hand, I got a vision. I saw you staring in a mirror at Jules's wedding. I heard you two talking about me.” Hannah had to pause to collect herself. “I didn't just see you, I was you for a moment. I felt everything you did in that vision. And wow! I'm going to get all watery and wishy-washy, because on the one hand I don't know you guys, and yet, after being in your head, I feel like I do. Sounds nuts, right?”

Shelley gaped. “You can read my mind? Do you do that with everyone you meet?”

“Whoa. No, I'm not a mind reader.” Hannah quickly explained her abilities and pulled out the gloves Niall had bought for her.

Shelley visibly relaxed. “Jules is never going to believe this. We've wondered for years what form of the Scott crift you had.”

“Crift?”

Her sister's blue eyes twinkled. “It's what Jules and I called our abilities. You probably don't remember that.”

“Not really.” Hannah shook her head. “I remember coloring in a coloring book. The Little Mermaid. She had red hair just like you. But even that memory is hazy.”

“What else do you remember?” Shelley crossed one knee over the other, then frowned. “I forgot I got dressed up to meet you. I usually wear jeans and button-downs.”

Hannah gestured to her uniform. “I know what you mean. This is so not me. I'm more your peasant skirt and blouse kind of girl.”

“Just like Momma.”

And in that single sentence, Hannah found what she'd been looking for. A link to her past and to her future.

N
OT
LONG
AFTER
Hannah disappeared into the back, Karma reappeared.

“She's talking to her sister, so my cousins are going to get a bite to eat.” She gestured to the men seated at table four. “I'll serve them.”

With nothing else to do, Niall returned to the kitchen. He manned Paulie's stove and helped Virgil with the orders.

“Where is that boy?” Virgil asked, agitation in his tone. “Ain't like Paulie to be late and not call.”

Niall split his attention between his head chef and the closed office door. “Has anyone called him?”

“Karma's done it twice. No answer. No answer from Ross neither. Hope those boys didn't get the bug that's going around.”

“Uh-huh,” Niall agreed, not really listening to the old man. Then Virgil's word sank in.

Niall
hadn't
seen Ross all day either. Hell, he hadn't even noticed his brother's absence. At first, he'd been riding high after last night's lovemaking with Hannah.

Not that he was his brother's keeper but he sure as hell should have noticed the fact he wasn't around all day on a Sunday. Did that make him eligible for brother of the year or employer of the year?

No, it made him a fucking tired human.

Dragging a hand down his face, he sighed. “I'll go give Paulie and Ross a call, Virgil.”

“Flip them jacks over first,” Virgil said, a note of humor in his voice.

He turned the pancakes on the stove, then took two steps toward the office and remembered why he hadn't gone in already. Hannah was in there with her sister.

Niall might have felt guilty for eavesdropping if he'd actually heard anything. But the door was closed and their muffled conversation barely filtered through the wood.

Earlier, he'd worried that Hannah might be hurt or disappointed if the meeting didn't go as she hoped. What if she found she didn't get along with her sister? What if Hannah took that as a sign to leave?

A foreign pain pinched in the center of his chest.

It was crazy to want her to stay, but hadn't he said that very thing this morning in bed? He did want her to stay. Not only in Tidewater. Not only at the Boxing Cat. Not only in his bed.

In his life.

He shot a look at the still closed door and willed it to open. It remained firmly shut.

“You're burning the pancakes.” Virgil took the spatula out of Niall's hand and removed the inedible circles of charred rock from the stove. “Go on in there, Niall.”

Niall whipped his gaze to the old man's leathery face. “What?”

“You're burning a hole through the door as wide as these dead flapjacks.” Virgil waved the spatula at the office. “Go on, boy. I'm sure she won't mind. And don't look at me like that. A blind man, dead for forty years, could see the way you two kids look at each other.” He laughed.

Niall started to deny it but why bother? Virgil was right.
Niall was no good out here when what he really wanted was to be with Hannah. He crossed the short distance to the door in three long strides and rapped his knuckles lightly. “Hannah? May I come in?”

He waited for her response. Instead, the door swung open.

Eyes dancing, Hannah started to reach for his hand, then seemed to think better of it. “Come on in, M—Niall.”

He took her hand in his. Her cool fingers were delicate against his large rougher ones, but she squeezed with a grip that would have made a wrestler proud. Bouncing on her toes, she gestured to the redhead from last night's reception. “Niall, this is Dr. Shelley Morgan-Jones. My sister.”

Shelley rose from the chair. The statuesque redhead wore a light blue top and dark blue skirt that showcased her body in a way that was both elegant and tasteful. She offered her hand to him. “Pleased to meet you, Mr. Niall.”

“Just Niall.” He cut a silent gaze at Hannah when she snickered.

Shelley's smile stayed in place as she released his hand but confusion clouded her blue eyes. “Am I missing something?”

“I'll explain later,” Hannah promised. She turned to Niall. “Did you know she was coming this morning?”

“Karma told me a few minutes before you found out.” Niall barely got the words out when Hannah threw her arms around him in a fierce hug that ended entirely too soon.

“We've been having the most amazing conversation. Did you know my sisters each have abilities like me, only not like me? They call it a crift. Isn't that such a cool word? Crift. Shelley talks to animals. Which makes her the perfect vet. And remember Snoopy? The stray I fed a few days back? He's her dog! Although, he's not too fond of her ferret, Lucy. Gosh, I love ferrets. I can't wait to meet her. And Jules! Guess what she does? She communicates with ghosts. We all have a psychic ability but each one is different. How amazing is that?”

Honestly, he wasn't so sure he agreed, but Hannah was beaming. “Very.”

“Best of all, Dev and Seth are detectives at the police
station. Shelley was telling me how they solved murders in two of Tidewater's biggest cases. She thinks if I tell Dev and his cousins about my latest Mercy vision, they might be able to use the information to find the killer.”

Niall's gut shriveled. “Hannah, I thought you were going to focus on
other
things after what happened last time.”

“Last time?” Shelley said, turning to her sister. “What happened last time?”

*   *   *

T
HANKS SO MUCH.

Hannah stared at the curious expression on Niall's face. He'd appeared anxious, eager even, when she'd opened the door, now he looked worried. Worried with a touch of severely pissed off.

“I-I got brought in for questioning,” Hannah said, turning to Shelley. “Two homicide detectives took me to the station. They didn't believe I had a vision. They thought I must've committed the murder or knew who did.”

Hannah didn't like the way her sister's eyes narrowed to slits.

“
Who
brought you in for questioning?” Shelley asked Hannah but was looking at Niall.

“A couple of jerks by the names of—”

“Reynolds and O'Dell,” Dev said from the doorway.

He had returned with Ryan and Ian. The three men looked a like a human mountain range squeezing into the doorway. The trio formed a human talking wall as Dev and Ian spoke over each other updating Shelley on the situation.

Hannah shot her gaze to Niall. His face hadn't changed. He still appeared worried and angry but now a bead of sweat trickled down his right temple. His hands were balled into fists and his eyes were going vacant.

Silently, she moved to his side and took his left hand into her right one. For a moment, his hand remained fisted, then his fingers loosened and curled around hers.

This close, Niall's face had a light sheen of perspiration. He swallowed but gave her a weak smile. “Thanks,” he said, squeezing her hand lightly.

It wasn't enough.

Niall's eyes darted to the doorway and away again.

He needed his space.

Hannah tugged him by the hand to where the three other men stood. She gestured with her free hand into the office. “I'd feel better if you guys came in.”

Ryan didn't wait, but stepped through and crossed the room until his back was against the rack on the far wall. Ian and Dev followed. While they moved to flank Ryan, Hannah led Niall to the open doorway. As usual, he stood with one foot in the office and one foot in the kitchen.

When he exhaled softly, Hannah let go of his hand. She wanted to check on him, ask if he felt better, but didn't dare in front of others. He hid his claustrophobia, and she wouldn't risk calling attention to it. Instead, she started to move away to give him as much space as was possible.

Niall wrapped an arm around her waist and held her back to his front, holding her in place. He lowered his head and whispered a single word, “Thanks.”

When he lifted his head again, he addressed the men. “You know the assholes?”

Dev glanced at Ian, who didn't bother to hide his grin, then Dev said, “Yes. They pride themselves on being pricks. They're not bad detectives but toss in anything paranormal and they're useless. They think all psychics are charlatans or crackpots looking to make a dime.” Dev leveled his gaze on Hannah. “Did you ask for anything when you spoke to them?”

“No.” Hannah was appalled at the idea. “I went on Wednesday night when I had the first vision. I told them about Mercy. What she did. I told them about the knife. About how my visions work. I tried to give them as much information as possible.” When no one spoke, Hannah added a bit defensively, “Ask Karma if you don't believe me.”

“They believe you. Don't you, Dev?” Shelley said, pushing to her feet and rounding on her husband. “You know she's not making this up.”

Hannah hadn't expected her sister to leap to her defense so quickly. She also hadn't expected the sensation of love
sweeping through her within minutes of being reunited. But she'd really hoped for it.

The universe wants us back together
.

“Shells, I'm not doubting a word she says. I need to make sure I have all the facts,” Dev said, then gave his wife a gentle kiss on the cheek.

The love between them was palpable. It warmed her to see it. And warmed her more when Niall gave her a gentle squeeze. She tilted her head back and glanced at his face.

He was bathed in a soft green glow. It flowed from all around him but especially from his eyes. It was beautiful. Hypnotic. Alluring. And pretty seductive.

The kind of seductive that made her want to kick everyone out of the office and show Niall how much fun they could have in a small space. Maybe find a creative way to help him get over his claustrophobia.

His aura
, she realized with a start. It was what Karma told her she'd seen. But what did it mean?

“Excuse me,” Ian said. “Hannah, what did you mean, your
first
vision?”

Hannah tore her gaze away from Niall of the sexy aura, and focused on Ian. “Oh, I had another one last night at the reception.” She glanced at Shelley, who stood in front of Dev, mirroring Hannah and Niall's position. “It's why I didn't get to introduce myself like I had planned.” She glanced at her sister. “See, I was going to do it right after the cake was served. I was going to show you our mother's locket, so you'd know it was me.”

“Hannah, you look just like Momma,” Shelley said, her voice thick with unshed tears. “We'd have known you anywhere.”

Hannah's own eyes misted. “Really?”

Shelley nodded.

“Not to break up the reunion scene, but can we focus a minute?” Ian said. Ryan swatted him in the back of the head, ruffling the man's perfect hair. “Cut it out, Cuz.”

“Give them their moment.” Ryan's voice was so deep, it sounded like it originated from his toes.

“They had their moment. Ow! Stop that.” Ian rubbed the back of his head.

“Don't mind them,” Dev said, a smile on his face. “They're more like brothers than cousins. Comes from their moms being twins.”

“Not the point,” Ryan said. He turned his dark brown eyes on Hannah. “Ian is right. Can you tell us about the second vision?”

Hannah opened her mouth to speak, but Niall cut her off. “That depends on you two. The last time she trusted you, she ended up hauled downtown. How do we know that won't happen again?”

Hannah tensed in Niall's arms. If he noticed, he didn't show it. He held on to her as he spoke, as if he were afraid she might run away. Ha! Like that would happen.

She wasn't going anywhere. Not when life was getting interesting.

Well, except for the whole crazed psycho killing men with carving knives thing.
That
she could definitely live without.

“They grilled her for hours on the little bit she did see before.” Niall's voice was sharp and impatient. “She and Karma believed you two would help her. Instead, Hannah spent a night at the station, with men you yourselves describe as pricks.”

“Niall, it's all right,” Hannah said, moving out of his arms and turning to face him. She kept hold of one of his hands, or maybe he hung on to hers.

“No, he's right.” Ryan's voice rumbled like thunder through the room. When she turned to face him he added, “We should have anticipated them. I'm sorry.”

“Cuz, it's not like we had any idea that the assholes would go after a civilian.”

“We should've, Ian.
I
should have. I was a cop. I know how cops think. Especially those two. I should have expected it.” Ryan ran a hand over his bald head and turned to Hannah. “I promise you, we will do whatever it takes to keep you out of it this time.”

“And I'm back at work tomorrow,” Dev said, stepping between his cousins. “I'll keep my eyes and ears open.
Anything that comes in on the case that looks like it might affect you in any way, Hannah, I'll let you know. My cousins are the best PIs—”